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WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--What’s good for the environment is often what’s good for the body and the spirit, whether you’re a Democrat or a Republican. And today, Representatives Earl Blumenauer (D-OR-3), James Oberstar (D-MN-8), Thomas Petri (R-WI-6), and Zach Wamp (R-TN-3) issued a spirited challenge to attendees of the forthcoming political conventions: join together in a bike-sharing initiative to ride 25,000 miles at the conventions. The goal is to show that bikes are a great solution for short trips and recreation, and at the same time will reduce both conventions’ carbon footprints, traffic, parking congestion and transportation costs, not to mention reducing calories.

The challenge represented the kick-off of a national effort to register convention attendees for Freewheelin, an innovative bike-sharing program developed by Humana Inc. (NYSE: HUM) and the cycling advocacy organization Bikes Belong. The program will bring 1,000 bikes to Denver and Minneapolis-St. Paul for anyone 18 or over to use during the Democratic and Republican political conventions.

Humana pioneered the bike-sharing program in 2007 in its corporate hometown of Louisville, Ky. The initiative focuses on fun as well as health by encouraging people to get on a bike and ride with friends, just like when they were kids. Twenty-one percent of those riding were not previously involved in exercise activity.

Go Freewheelin

Humana and Bikes Belong have launched a new Web site –www.freewheelinwaytogo.com– in an effort to pre-register thousands of convention guests for the program. And, among the first to sign up for bikes are the mayors of the host cities, including Mayor John Hickenlooper, Denver, host of the Aug. 25-28 Democratic National Convention; and Mayors Chris Coleman (St. Paul) and R.T. Rybak (Minneapolis). Minneapolis and St. Paul are hosting the Sept. 1-4 Republican National Convention. By registering, the mayors – along with other convention-goers – are making a commitment to both their personal health and the health of the environment.

Bike-sharing – the international social movement whereby bikes are situated at designated stations throughout cities for individuals to use for a specified amount of time – is essentially a call to action for those who prefer an environmentally friendly, cost-effective and healthy transportation alternative. The initiative is gaining momentum throughout the United States, including active or planned programs in cities such as Washington, D.C., New York, Philadelphia and Chicago. Freewheelin at the conventions marks the biggest bike-sharing program in the United States to date. Such an undertaking would be impossible without the participation and active support of Bikes Belong, elected officials in the host cities, and their biking communities.

How Freewheelin Works

Bikes will be available in Denver for the Democratic convention from Aug. 25-28; and in Minneapolis-St. Paul for the Republican convention from Sept. 1-4. Participants who register in advance via the Freewheelin Web site will be ready to check out a bike from one of the multiple bike stations throughout the convention cities. Online registration and use of the bikes during the conventions is free, with all related costs paid by Humana and Bikes Belong. Bikes will be available beginning at 7 a.m. each day of the conventions, and don’t have to be returned to a bike station until 7 p.m. each day. The bikes can be returned to any station.

“The eyes of the world will be on Denver and Minneapolis-St. Paul for these historic conventions,” said Jonathan T. Lord, M.D., Humana senior vice president and chief innovation officer. “Bikes and bike sharing are a way for political leaders of the United States to demonstrate our nation’s commitment and leadership in health and sustainability to the rest of the world. We are challenging residents of both cities, delegates, delegations and media members to participate, compete and have fun!”

Freewheelin bike stations will be set up throughout the cities, near the convention centers and major hotel complexes. When users are finished with a bike, they can simply return their bike to any convenient Freewheelin bike station. Those interested in the program, but unable to register online, can also register in person at any Freewheelin station. Greeters will be on site at each bike station to assist with registration and route planning, and safety specialists will be available to answer questions and address concerns.

Freewheelin is one of a number of initiatives that Humana is developing to encourage people to have fun and get active, including everything from rewards for walking to video games that promote exercise.

About Humana

Humana Inc., headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, is one of the nation’s largest publicly traded health and supplemental benefits companies, with approximately 11.4 million medical members. Humana is a full-service benefits solutions company, offering a wide array of health and supplementary benefit plans for employer groups, government programs and individuals.

Over its 47-year history, Humana has consistently seized opportunities to meet changing customer needs. Today, the company is a leader in consumer engagement, providing guidance that leads to lower costs and a better health plan experience throughout its diversified customer portfolio.

More information regarding Humana is available to investors via the Investor Relations page of the company’s Web site at http://www.humana.com, including copies of:

-- Annual reports to stockholders

-- Securities and Exchange Commission filings

-- Most recent investor conference presentations

-- Quarterly earnings news releases

-- Replays of most recent earnings release conference calls

-- Calendar of events (includes upcoming earnings conference call dates and times, as well as planned interaction with research analysts and institutional investors)

-- Corporate Governance Information

About Bikes Belong

Bikes Belong is the U.S. bicycle industry organization dedicated to putting more people on bicycles more often. Bikes Belong Coalition lobbies to increase federal bike funding, awards grants to support innovative bike projects, promotes bicycling and its benefits, and sponsors key initiatives such as the National Bike Summit. The affiliated Bikes Belong Foundation focuses on improving bicycle safety, enhancing children’s bike programs, and making communities friendlier for bicyclists by backing national efforts such as Safe Routes to School and Bicycle Friendly Communities.

As used in connection with insurance products and services, “Humana” is the brand name for insurance products and services provided by one or more of the Humana group of insurer and health plan subsidiary and affiliate companies (each, a “Humana Ins. Sub.”). Insurance products and services are solely and only provided by the one or more Humana Ins. Subs. specified on the insurance policy, not Humana Inc. Not all insurance products and services are available in each state.

For medical insurance products and services -- Humana Medical Plan, Inc.; Humana Health Insurance Company of Florida, Inc. and Humana Insurance Company -- and for non-medical insurance products and services -- Humana Insurance Company; HumanaDental Insurance Company; Humana Health Insurance Company of Florida, Inc.; CompBenefits Insurance Company; CompBenefits Company and Kanawha Insurance Company -- are the legal entities that offer, underwrite, administer or insure insurance products and services for Florida residents or Florida-sitused groups and members of those groups for purposes of insurance law. For states other than Florida, please click here to view a complete list, by product line, of the legal entities that offer, underwrite, administer or insure insurance products and services.